Vouchers Are a Windfall for Everyone

(Except Milwaukee Property Taxpayers)

The
Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) is loosely controlled by the
state, which is beginning to build some accountability measures into
the program.

Gov. Jim Doyle has proposed that choice schools
must adopt academic standards, administer state-standardized tests,
require all teachers to have a bachelor’s degree, and increase
transparency and disclosure to parents and the public.

In
addition to these academic requirements, Doyle has proposed changing
the way voucher schools are funded. No, these schools will not have to
hold public hearings and fight for their $130 million of taxpayer
dollars, as public schools must. But Doyle wants to change the way
Milwaukee’s property wealth is calculated, so that more dollars flow to
the Milwaukee Public Schools. Doyle proposes a modest change in that
formula to be phased in over the next five years.

According to
the School Choice Demonstration Project at the University of Arkansas,
which is conducting a five-year study of the program, vouchers have
been a windfall for the state. Well, it’s a windfall for everyone in
Wisconsin except for Milwaukee city taxpayers and MPS. Milwaukee
homeowners pay approximately $200 more per $100,000 value in property
taxes to finance the voucher program. The study found that in fiscal
year 2009, the voucher program’s cost to Milwaukee taxpayers was $45
million. But property taxpayers outside of Milwaukee received a $52
million boost.

Since this funding flaw must be fixed by the
state Legislature, it’s no wonder that non-Milwaukee legislators are
reluctant to take action. The voucher program is a boon for suburban
and rural school districts and taxpayers, not Milwaukee students and
taxpayers.

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